POSTING ON OUR SHELL BLOG BY “ANONYMOUS SOURCE”
ABRUPT EXIT OF SHELL TREASURER ANDY LONGDEN
I believe that high profile gaps in Andy’s broad scope of his roles & responsibilities (R&R), 12 years in the same role, (too long for a senior executive), loss of key sponsor(s), and the perceived need for a game changer that delivers on Ben’s strategy, new operational approach, and heavier (Treasury, M&A, Pensions, and governance) Finance footprint, might have been key in his departure.
Also, remember that Andy and Ben Van Burden come from very different backgrounds. Ben is a Shell homegrown senior leader (with 30+ years), while Andy is an experienced hire. Common knowledge is that the retention history for experienced hires senior leaders is poor at Shell. Why? My understanding is that because Shell is a relationship company, many experienced hires are unable to adequately fit in and build the mentor/sponsor /other relationships that are critical for success in the company.
As to high profile gaps in Andy’s scope of R&R, any could have been used as a justification for a change such as:
1) Pension costs ($2 billion increase in pension funding is projected for 2015 (see Shell Annual report note 17 – Retirement benefits), Also, there was noise around Shell realizing over $600 million USD in pension losses in the highly publicized Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme, uncovered in 2008,
2) UAU M&A and billions in write downs,
3). Ongoing governance issues, (flawed decisions and/or absence of appropriate actions or interventions because of management tension to achieve targets, inadequate oversight/asset integrity),
4).Other Treasury activities, (such as financial performance, cash management, investor relations, sub-optimum share based compensation delivery schemes, poor capital discipline, to name a few.)
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Another sudden high level departure from Shell surrounded by intrigue
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
